Deere 970 Head Gasket

/ Deere 970 Head Gasket #1  

TraderMark

Gold Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2001
Messages
383
Location
Southeast Georgia
Tractor
Ford 1720, 2910 John Deere 970, Case 1845
Yeah, it's been a while since I posted. Funny how life gets in the way, huh?

I recently acquired a 1992 model Deere 970 4X4 that had a misfire on #3 cylinder. The engine is a Yanmar 4TN82.
Of course I hoped it was just a blown head gasket since I knew the tractor had been run hot.
Alas, it was not to be. Two galled pistons were what I found when I cracked her open.
Imagine my surprise today when I called the local Deere dealer to order parts and they tell me the head gasket is ..... NO LONGER AVAILABLE??
I mean really? They can get pistons/rings, rod bearings, valve tappet covers, etc etc but no head gasket?

Does anyone know a good Yanmar dealer that I can try?

I tried a couple Yanmar dealers today but they were less than friendly when I told them it was in a Deere tractor.

ANY help would be greatly appreciated.

Mark
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket #2  
Hoyetractor.com supports primarily older Yanmars, including parts for the Yanmar 'Deere' tractors. Phone them. They have far more parts than they list on the website.

I see a gasket set for 4TN82 on Amazon, looks like it is shipped from China. One feedback on the gasket set, "Excellent, good as OEM". The vendor has all good feedback except some guy who couldn't get his order cancelled, likely after it shipped.
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Thanks California. I don't know how I missed that set on Amazon. I saw some complete overhaul kits but I'm leery of spending $600 on something from China that may or may not fit and no way to return it for a refund. If I can't a set from Hoye or a couple other places I managed to find, I may wind up ordering this gasket set. I can swallow $128 a lot easier than $600.
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket #4  
Have you checked with another dealer? I’m on the road, but. Just checking on my local dealers site shows it available to order.
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Hey Joe..
Yeah I've checked with Deere dealers all the way from Florida to Indiana to Alabama and all points in between.
They show a price but when they check availability to order the part numbers for the gasket set as well as the head gasket itself shows obsolete, no longer available.
Hoye couldn't help. They don't have parts listings on the 4TN82.
Same with Diesel Parts Direct who claim to be one of the largest Yanmar distributors in the country.

Looks like I may have to just wait for a slow boat from China.
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket #7  
I find it hard to believe Deere doesn稚 sell a head gasket for a 970 when they sell the head gasket for a 950. I壇 try another dealer to be sure. I知 not a fan of aftermarket head gaskets as I致e bought two that looked like junk. One had two different size holes in it for the studs when they are in fact all the same diameter. I sent it back.
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Timberhole,
Believe me, I tried Deere dealers from every corner of the country with the same results. "Obsolete", unavailable to order.
Then I started working with Yanmar dealers and every one of them said, "We can't get parts for that engine."
Sooo..... I ordered the one from China through Amazon. I was told today it has been shipped so now it's just a wait on the boat.
I'll keep y'all posted when I get the gaskets and let you know how well they work.
BTW...... the Amazon listing now says this gasket is "currently unavailable". I wonder if I got the last one in captivity. ��
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Well, the gasket set arrived from China today.
Very well packaged and right on time. That's the good part.
The bad part. It doesn't fit.
The head gasket they sent has an 86.2mm bore for the piston.
My old gasket has an 83.7mm bore.
I'm guessing they sent me a gasket for a 4TN84 which IS an 84mm bore engine instead of sending the gasket for a 4TN82 which is an 82mm bore engine.
Looks like I have three choices now:
1) Use the old gasket and hope for the best.
2) Use the new 84mm bore gasket and pray that the extra 2mm won't cause me to lose enough compression to matter.
3) Order again from another Chinese company.

What would you do?
I've already cleaned up the scoring in the block and dropped $600 to Mother Deere for the pistons, rings and bearings.
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket #10  
As frustrating as it is, I would get the correct gasket. What’s the old saying? If you don’t have time to do right the first time when will you have time to do it the second time??
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket #11  
Is this not your head gasket? What痴 your part number?

5F4D9893-1A65-40B3-9550-18FE4F80C3D9.png
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket
  • Thread Starter
#12  
Timberhole,
I've sent an email to EVDiesels which is who I got the gasket set from, so far no response but I don't know what the time difference in between here and China.
I've also sent emails to three more sellers, all located in China as well, asking them to positively confirm that the gasket in their set has an ~83.5mm bore for the piston.
Back to the waiting game I guess.
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket
  • Thread Starter
#13  
Yeah, that's it Timberhole.
When I call Deere they all say, "Yeah, the number is in the parts catalog, but it's no longer available."
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket #14  
If I get a free minute I’ll call my local dealer and inquire. I still can’t wrap my head around the fact it isn’t available. Sounds like a guy needs to buy 2 or 3 if he finds the correct gasket.
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket #15  
Did you try partswecan.com.
They list parts for 4TN82E
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket #16  
fridayparts.com List a gasket set for it.
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket #17  
I just called our local Deere dealer and had them run the part number (M895849). They say there is one in the Atlanta warehouse but it痴 the last one. They did confirm that part is discontinued. Send me a message if you need more info.
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket
  • Thread Starter
#18  
Here's the email exchange I had with EVDiesels last night.

"Hi,
I received my Amazon order today, right on time and well packaged.
However there is a problem with the head gasket. The head gasket in the gasket set I received has an 86.2mm bore.
The gasket I removed from my engine has an 83.7mm bore.
I can only assume that the gasket included in the set I received is for a 4TN84 engine which has an 84mm bore inside the block.
My engine is a 4TN82 which has an 82mm bore inside the block.
Please advise as to whether you can ship the correct gasket.
Thanks,
Mark Jones"

"elizabeth <ev@evdiesels.com>
To:
M Jones

Aug 26 at 10:11 PM

dear mark jones, thanks for feedback. you can use it correctly.. in our domestic market, we use this head gasket for 4TN82. And we have sold much to overseas market already"

Since I've already paid for it and they say it will work I guess I'll install it and give it a try.
If it doesn't work then I can tear it back down and start all over.

Thanks for all the help, especially you, Timberhole.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.
 
/ Deere 970 Head Gasket
  • Thread Starter
#20  
Thank you Timberhole.
I talked to a different parts person at my local Deere dealer and told him that some other dealers WERE indeed showing one M805849 head gasket in Atlanta.
I'll have the OEM Deere gasket by Friday.
 
 
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